Sunday, October 23, 2011

Horse Face

It was a gloriously autumnal day today, complete with moody clouds hanging about the sky, so I grabbed my camera and went out for a long walk. I was taking a picture of the way the road climbed to the horizon and then disappeared ...


but when I checked the image in the camera, I discovered there was a horse in the field.  Seeing the possibility of blog fodder, I went closer to investigate.




The horse in question was a rather odd sort.




She was very involved in trying to eat the fence.  One could even say obsessed.




She did take time out for a brief game of peek-a-boo with me as I tried different heights to get her portrait.




When I reviewed my pictures of this strange creature tonight, I discovered she was really not very photogenic.  In fact, rather disturbingly homely, with great patches of hair rubbed off the nose, probably from all that fence nibbling.





I did my best with Photoshop to try to make a silk purse from a pig's ear  horse's nose but the resident critic's reaction was, "It's not a very pretty horse is it."  Oh well, you whinny some, you lose some.


Photo Art FridayI think she's interesting enough to put in Bonnie's Photo Art Friday gallery, though.  Don't you?






50 comments:

  1. These are fabulous!!! and I love what you did with the your final one .. You have the touch..

    Your title -Horse Face- reminds me of when I was a kid... my younger brother and sister used to call the milkman "Horse-Face Harry"... I don't know why but he thought it was cute and always gave them a container of Chocolate milk...

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  2. As someone who is also terminally unphotogenic, I raise a glass of (Eck) wine to your modest subject. Ask Jean-Yves, Eck Cru is interesting.

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  3. I seem to remember a children's story book titled, The Spotted Pony - or am I imagining that? Perhaps four-legged beauty you encountered on your walk served as the inspiration for that book.

    I love going for long autumnal walks, but I have yet to encounter such an interesting fellow as the one in your story today. I did think she looked quite charming with her well-"mane"tained haircut. But I do worry that perhaps a visit to a dermatologist may be necessary in the near future.

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  4. Neigh, I think she's beautiful and could still win the mane spot in the Gallup polls. ;)

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  5. This is such a cool post!!! Fantastic story, and the photos got more and more intriguing. Audrey mentioned a children's book, and I think you've got the kernel for a great one. The 2 photoshopped pix are real winners! (The last one could almost be a cow.)

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  6. In composition and colour your final image is really interesting,certainly fit for any gallery.......I like it a lot!

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  7. I believe what that horse is doing is called cribbing and it's difficult to cure. She's not all that bad looking, would love to hop on her back and trot up that road.

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  8. Amazing pics of an amazing animal!
    This poor ugly horse is absolutely beautiful to Madame Rust.
    Could it be that she is so engrossed with the rust spots that the horse disappears and just blends in the background?
    Hmmm... inspiration for my next project. haha!

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  9. she has real character - stop dissing her haha!! Greetings from the Riviera...

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  10. Gwen,
    "Horse face Harry"?! Maybe the offering of chocolate milk was his way of trying to whinny them over.

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  11. oh what many stories she might be able to tell. thank you for the memories of home. please have a good new week.

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  12. DCW,
    I think this is some kind of a first: a cross-over blog comment! And you look quite fetching in that particular tone of Eck Cru.

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  13. Audrey,
    Well "mane"-tained, ha ha! I can see you've been hanging out with DCW too long. I have a fondness for spotted horses. My favourites are the grey ones with whitish polka dots. I think this pony might need an application of Rogaine rather than skin cream on her nose.

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  14. Hilary,
    The Gallup polls!! LOL! Thanks for trotting that one by me.

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  15. jann,
    You raise a pithy question: Would a horse by any other name be a cow? I rather thought the last picture was giraffe-like. Hmmm...a children's book about a spotted horse who wished she could be other than what she was (a cow? a giraffe?) and vented her insecurity about her appearance by nibbling on a fence until someone came along and taught her how to feel her oats.

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  16. Forest Dream,
    The texture I applied to it, courtesy of Shadowhouse Creations, really did give it an other worldly atmosphere. But the horse was an excellent, if unusual, model. I'm glad you like the picture.

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  17. Shirl,
    I can't imagine how you knew that! I consulted Wikipedia about cribbing and learned that the habit is likely due to lack of stimulation (could it have anything to do with the village she lives in, I can't help but wonder). Quick, pass me a fence post!

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  18. Jacqueline aka Mme. Rust,
    So you see this pony as a jolie laide? Yes, I'm sure you're dazzled by the rust spots. I'll be sure to pass by that field as often as I can so I can pick up the rust patches as they fall off and bring them over to you for your next project.

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  19. Catherine,
    Yes, she has character in spades...or dots, to say nothing of an intriguing neurosis. She is kind of pretty, in a skinny, blemished sort of way. Maybe she's just going through an awkward stage.

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  20. robert,
    It's just amazing that a simple little obscure blog in the far reaches of eastern Canada can provide a displaced German gentleman living in Athens with memories of home! I am pleased to have done so, if it's brought you pleasure and peace.

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  21. Hay Lynne, My goodness, if you keep chatting up such a storm here, you're going to go hoarse... is that understud ?

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  22. That horse reminds me of a line in the movie "A Matador's Mistress" with Adrien Brody and Penelope Cruz. Upon meeting him, she tells him he is the most beautiful ugly man she has ever seen. I love that line and I finally get to put it to good use!

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  23. all these photos are wonderful, but i LOVE LOVE LOVE the last one!! AWE!!!

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  24. I like the horse and all it's flaws, she's a beauty! I love the close up of her and he mangy nose!
    I love her spots. I have spots too.

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  25. BrOwen,
    I'm just a girl whose intentions are gud; O-wen, please don't let me be misundertud!

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  26. Stickup,
    And that quote you mention brings to mind a line from Leonard Cohen's Chelsea Hotel song that I love, "You told me again you prefer handsome men, but for me you would make an exception." I've felt like using that line at least once in my life, but kindly refrained.

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  27. johanna,
    I had a willing model and a great texture up my sleeve from Shadowhouse Creations so it all came together nicely. I am tickled pink that you love the result!

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  28. Lucia,
    You see the beauty in the world around you that others might miss. That is a rare gift. Thank you for shining your light (la luce) here.

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  29. Beautiful and spectacular pictures, I like them all delicious textures.

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  30. Don't mean to saddle you with any enigmas, or leave you champing at the bit, but doesn't his off white vanilla bone colored mane fringe remind you a little of a certain famous artist ??? Do your tarot cards also help you read minds ?

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  31. Leovi,
    Thanks so much. The textures do give a different dimension to an ordinary photo, which is what I like. I'm glad you like it too.

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  32. BrOwen,
    I'm getting a mental image...something about being hauled off to war, or a war haul of some sort...no...is it to do with a handy wart hog? Wait, wait, I'm hearing velvet sounds coming up from the underground...Which reminds me, I actually saw one of Warhol's wigs in the Andy Warhol retrospective in Montreal a year or so ago. It was weirdly creepy. Hmmm... now who could you be thinking of...cards don't fail me now!

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  33. well, in the MANE they are lovely photos! I had best hoof it, I'm sure there is a wine glass with my name on it somewhere....

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  34. And 'hay'neigh(bour) - why the long face?? Someone telling TAILS?

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  35. I gasped at the sight of the very first photo...my heart goes out to brown spotted horses...pure love.
    Perhaps a jolie laide?

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  36. I think she's absolutely lovely. and obviously much loved, look how carefully her mane is cut. thanks for these! m.

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  37. Saj,
    Hey-ho! (not that I'm calling you a ho!) Nice to see that you were feeling your oats enough to
    canter(bury) all the way up here. No need to try to curry(comb) favour with me--there's always a (winner's) cup of wine here with your name on it.

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  38. Patricia,
    You know, I thought of you when I posted these pictures and hoped you might see them because I do know how you love the speckled beauties, jolie laide or otherwise. I do too--from a distance, at least!

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  39. Anonymous m,
    I, too, was reassured that she's well cared for because of that hair do. Gives one hope that the owners may find a way to cure her of her neurotic fence-eating habit. What a wonderful character she is, though. I'm glad you like her, too.

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  40. Wow I really like these photos.... perhaps it is the horses homeliness that makes them so beautiful!

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  41. Holy Blonde Fringes, battywoman, will you do a tarot reading for me ??? You clearly have the second sight and clairvoyance and all... I was wondering, seriously wondering if it was just me seeing things in that mane, but you made the connection... I'm impressed, seriously impressed.

    Now, as for that horse, maybe if he wore a nose bag for a while regularly filled with fresh oats, his nose might mend a bit ???

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  42. Not all the world should be a "silk purse" and I find your speckled horse quite interesting and reflective of a perky personality. Further, she would be pleased with your photos I think.

    Bises,
    Genie

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  43. Sally Tharpe Rowles,
    I think you're right about the horse's homeliness making her an interesting subject and, therefore,an interesting photo. There were other horses in the field, but I wasn't drawn to making pictures of them.

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  44. BrOwen,
    A nose bag full of oats might be just the ticket. Maybe you could make your fortune travelling around the world to horse farms and miraculously curing those neurotic fence nibblers with your miracle cure. Just pretend that there's a secret ingredient in the oats mixture. (I'll only require 10% of your fees for furnishing the idea for a brilliant career move.)

    Oh, and wait...I'm getting another message from the cards...I foresee you getting some interesting mail in the not-too-distant future. The cards also advise to not hold your breath. Not sure what this is all about. Time will reveal all.

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  45. Genie,
    How true, how true that not all the world could or should be a silk purse. This ridiculous and incessant pursuit of being the most beautiful, the most-improved, the most luxurious, etc. etc.--look where it's got western society. Blandly outrageous sameness that only the obscenely rich can afford.
    As Joni Mitchell sings it, "give me the spots on the apples"...or on the horses; or on humankind, for that matter.

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  46. °º♪♫
    °º✿♪♫
    º° ✿♫ ♪♫°
    Olá, amigo!
    Lindas fotografias, gostei de todas.
    Bom fim de semana!
    Beijinhos.
    Brasil°º♪♫
    °º✿♪♫
    º° ✿♫ ♪♫°

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  47. That's a really unusual horse. Not just in her personality (which looks to be quite outgoing) but the way her mane is lighter than her coat, and those spots... fascinating creature.

    I was going to say "well spotted" - oh, what the heck, I will say it ! :)

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  48. Magia da Inês,

    ♥ ♪ ☺ ♫ ♥ !

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  49. Jenny Woolf,
    Well spotted? haha!
    Well said!

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